Garbage incinerator system



June 6, 1939 M. BLUMENTHAL Er AL 2,150,825

GARBAGE INCINERATOR SYSTEM FiledFeb. s, 1935- 4 sheets-sheet 1 lM. BLUMENTHAL r AL 2,160,825

GARBAGE INCINERATO SYSTEM June 6,- 1939.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 9, 1935 mmf June 6, 1939- M. BLUMENTHAL ET AL 2,160,825

GARBAGE INCINERATOR SYSTEM Filed Feb. 9, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 6, 1939.

M. IBLUMENTHAL ET AL GARBAGE INC I NERATORl SYSTEM 4 sheets-sheet 4 Filed Feb. 9, 1935 Patented June 6, 1939 vUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE `GARBAGE. INCINERATOR SYSTEM Maurice Blumenthal, Brooklyn, and Louis Casper, Richmond Hill, N. Y.

Application February 9, 1935, Serial No. 5,830

12 Claims. (Cl. 110-8) This invention relates to systems of garbage and their load into the top of the incinerator chamrefuse incineration in which operations are conbers. ducted on a large scale, asin the case of municipal A Ventilating hood I is provided over the batplants for the disposal of such material. tery of incinerator chambers and behind these 5 The present application is a continuation in chambers is located a boiler I6 within which the part of our prior copending application Serial No. heat from the gaseous products of combustion of 633,258 filed September 15, 1932. the incinerator chambers is utilized to generate An object ofthe invention is the provision of steam that is led through a steam conduit I1 to a novel method of incineration, wherein the maa power plant I8 including electrical generator 10 terial is ignited and burned electrically, thus means which provides current for.operating the 10 eliminating grate burners and the necessity of various electric motors of the system and for furusing supplemental fuel. nishing the current necessary to operate the elec- Another object is the provision of a novel trical incinerators. method and means for deodorizing and purifying Each of the incinerator chambers comprises the gaseous products of combustion from a bata vertical shaft I9 of refractory material and of 15 tery of incinerator chambers in a disposal system heat insulating characteristic, that is substanor plant. tially rectangular in cross section -and open at its -Another object is 'the provision of a novel top and bottom. Adjacent the top each incinmethod of breaking slag in incinerator chamerator chamber is provided in its rear wall with bers, by the application of uid under pressure. a flue through which the gaseous products of 20 A further object is the provision of an incineracombustion are passed from the chamber. The tion system electrically operated and controlled chambers 1, 8, 9 and Ill are respectively provided and including means for translating the heat with the flues 20, 2l, 22 and 23 which extend energy of the gaseous products of combustion into rearwardly of the incinerators in communication electrical energy for the supply of power and with a gas mixing and purification chamber 24 25 current to the system. located immediately beneath the boiler I6 and Other objects will be apparent to those skilled which has a single outlet 25 through which the in the art. hot gases from the gas purification chamber are In the accompanying drawings: passed to the boiler. As best shown in Figure 2,

Figure 1 is substantially a vertical section the flues from the respective incinerator cham- 30 taken through an Aincinerator plant as equipped bers enter the gas mixing and purification chamwith the system of this invention. ber 24 at points spaced apart serially along the Figure 2 is substantially a horizontal section front wall of the chamber. This chamber 24 is taken on the line 2-2 of `Figure 1. divided into separate front and rear compart- Figure Bis substantiallyavertical section taken' ments by a longitudinal baffle plate 26 which 35 on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, and with one of the terminates at each end in spaced relation inincinerator chambers shown in elevation. wardly from the side walls of the chamber. At Figure 4 is an enlarged view of substantially each end oi the baille 26 the passage thus proa vertical section through an incinerator chamvided between the baille end and the adjacent ber as shown in Figure 1. side Wall of the chamber is controlled by a 40 Figure 5 is substantially a vertical section taken damper, the two dampers being shown as at 21 on the line 5-5 of Figure 4. and 28 in Figure 2. These dampers are selective- Figure 6 is a horizontal section through an in ly operable by known means, not shown, whereby cinerator chamber and illustrating the details of to close the passageway at either end of the mounting the electrical incinerator elements. baffle 26 for selective directional flow of the gases 45 Figure 6a is a section similar to Figure 6 but from the incinerator chambers along the forward illustrating a modified structure. side of the baille. The walls of the gas purifica- The system comprises a battery of incinerator tion chamber 24 are provided with exposed elecchambers 1, 8, 9 and I0 arranged side by side trical heaters 29 such as imbedded electrical re- 0 transversely across a shed II with the chambers sistors that are made incandescent by electrical 50 being disposed beneath a iloor I2 at some discurrent supplied thereto by vappropriate circuit tance inwardly from the entrance I3 through connections, not shown. Electrical arc means which garbage and refuse trucks, as indicated such as shown at 30 and 3l in Figure 2 are also by the dotted line showing Il of Figure 1, are employed in any desired number and in any deadapted to pass over the oor I2 to discharge sired disposition within the gas mixing and purification chamber 24. 'These arcs either with or without the cooperation of the electricalvheaters 29, or the heaters 29 themselves with or without the cooperation of the arcs are arranged and adapted to burn and purify the gases passing therethrough from the battery of incinerator chambers.

Each of the incinerator chamber ues 20, 2|, 22 and 23 is provided with a vertically slidable damper or valve 32 operable by an electric motor 33 through a suitable operating connection, such as a conventional rack and gear as shown. Each furnace chamber is observed through suitable visual openings common to furnaces for degree of smoke which is also indicative of accumulation of gases in said furnace chambers. When such accumulations reach their maximum the motor 33 is operated being remote controlled as at the panel 14 which causes the damper 32 to open thereby releasing said smoke and gases into intermediate chamber 24.

Each incinerator chamber has its wall I9 lined with a plurality of superimposed sections 34 of refractory material and which are provided with imbedded ribbons 35 of electrical resistor material which become incandescent when current is applied thereto. These electrical resistors 35 constitute electrical igniting and incinerating means on the'interior walls of the respective incinerator chambers. These elements 35 are exposed to the interiors of the chambers for active and direct contact with a body of garbage or other refuse material 36 with which the chamber may be charged, as shown in Figure 1. In place of the elements 35, or in conjunction therewith, conventional electrical arcs are employed extending through the walls of the chambers for igniting and burning the material therein. As shown in Figure 6, the respective electrical resistors elements 35 are electrically connected by leads extending through the Walls of the chamber to bus bars 31 suitably mounted on the outer face ofV the incinerator chambers and appropriately connected in an electrical circuit, not shown, by which the necessary energizing current is supplied to the elements 35.

Each of the incinerator chambers is constricted Iat its bottom portion where the walls converge toward the bottom outlet ring 3B. Immediately above the outlet ring 38 the constricted wall portions of the chambers are provided with a series of radial ports 39 in communication with a manifold 40 surrounding the bottom of the chamber. The botom of the manifold is closed by detachable closure means 4 l, here shown as a plate, that may be removed for cleaning through a discharge passage 42 opening vertically to the ash pit 43 beneath each incinerator chamber.

As shown best in Figure 1, an air inlet conduit 44 provided with a pump 45 communicates with the manifold 4U above the plate 4I for the supply of air under pressure to the manifold for injection through the ports 39 upwardly through the body of the material disposed within the chamber. Also communicating with the manifold 40 above its closure plate is a steam pipe 46 controlled by a valve 41 through which dry steam from a super-heater 48 within the boiler I6 may be supplied to the manifold for injection into the which in this embodiment comprises a at plate 49 carried by a wheeled frame 50 horizontally movable along a track-way 5I through an appropriate known connection with a screw-threaded shaft 52 driven by suitable gearing within a gear housing 53 from a drive shaft 54 operatively connected with the armature shaft of an electric motor 55. Depending upon the direction of rotation of the driven shaft 52 the bottom closure plate 49 is moved across the lower end of the incinerator chamber to open or close the bottom. When the closure plate 49 has been moved to open position after incineration, the incinerated contents of the chamber fall through the end ring 38 into portable receptacle means 56, here shown as dump-cars operable along track-way means 51 disposed within the ash pit.

` The open top of each incinerator chamber is vertically aligned with a material hopper 58 located in the flooring I2 through which material is fed from the vehicles I4. AThese hoppers are.

adapted to be closed by pairs of hinged covers 59. Beneath the hoppers 58 the open top of each embodiment as illustrated herein the top closure member comprises a flath plate 6|` carried by a wheeled frame 62 operable over a track-way 63 through the medium of an appropriate4 known connection with la screw-threaded shaft 64 that is driven through a gearing connection within the gear housing 65 from a drive shaft 66 op eratively coupled to the armature `shaft; of ,an electric motor 61,. Depending upon the direction of rotation of the driven shaft 64 the top closure plate 6| will be moved across the top 0f the incinerator chamber either to open the same or to effect a sealed closure after a load of material 36 has been deposited in the chamber through the hopper 58. In order to drain off liquid accumulating on the bottom after a charge of ma- Referring to Figure 6 there are shown electric are electrodes 10 and 1| that are projected into said incinerator chamber for igniting and incinerating the chamber contents and it is' to be understood that any desired number and desired arrangement of these arcs may be employed as may be found desirable. There is also shown electrical resistor elements 35 within the liner sections 34, these elements as shown at 35 in Figure 6a and are extended transversely across the interior of the chamber for direct physical contact with the material disposed therein. The electrode structures as above set forth may be used in combination vor applied separately. The usage of said electrodes may be varied in accordance with the kinds and quantity of waste materials introduced into said chamber.

In the outlet flue of each incinerator chamber is mounted a heat responsive element 12, preferably of the thermo couple type, which extends through the ue wall for connection in an electrical circuit, not shown, by which the tempera'- ture of the gases in the flue is electrically registered by appropriate instruments 13 upon the control panel 14 with which the system is provided at a point remote from the incinerator chamber. In connection with this control panel 14, it is to be noted that the yentire complement of electrical lapparatus in the system is controlled by appropriate instruments mounted upon this panel. The operating circuit and connections for such apparatus are well known and the specic wiring details have been omitted from the drawingsin order to eliminate confusion of detail. All of the electrical motors as employed in the system are of the reversible field type whereby appropriate directional movement may be imf parted to the apparatus which each motor serves.

In the operation of the system the incinerator chambers are charged in the manner described, their bottoms being closed so that the load of material 36 is deposited and rests upon the bottom closure plate 49. After charging, the top of each chamber is closed and sealed by its top closure element 6I and the electrical igniting and incinerating means is energized to effect the incandescence of the chamber charge. It is obvious that when the garbage mass has been brought up to said state of incandescence the combustible units contained in said mass will cause the further burning of the incandescent mass without further need of the energized electrodes contained in said chambers and at this stage of incineration the electric power current may be switched off said electrodes thereby effecting an economy in electric power consumption. Liquid collecting at the bottom of the chamber drains off through the discharge conduit 68 and with the gas flue damper appropriately positioned, the burning of material within the chamber is continued at a desired temperature, the temperature being indicated upon the control panel through the heat responsive means 12 as described,

In the illustration of Figure 2 the incinerators 1 and I0 are shown as in operation while the incinerators 8 and 9 are in open position ready to receive a charge. All of the incinerators may be operated in unison or any number as desired, and refuse or garbage material of different characteristics may be burned in different incinerators. A feature of the invention resides in the fact that in the operation of the system the incinerators are operated at different temperatures. Certain refuse material may be completely incinerated at a lower operating temperature than the material charged within the remainingincinerator chambers. It is intended that at least one incinerator of the battery shall be/operated at a temperature considerably elevated with re- 'spect to the temperature existing in the remaining incinerator chambers. With the battery in operation under this arrangement the gaseous products of combustion are discharged into the purification chamber 24 at points spaced apart along the forward wall thereof in advance of the bafile 26. Assuming, in the showing of Figure 2, that the incinerator 1 is operating at a. very high temperature while the incinerator I is operating at a lower temperature, the damper 21 is opened while the damper 28 is closed so that the gases passing from incinerator I0 are forced to travel longitudinally along the entire length of the baille 26 to meet and mix with the high temperature gases coming from incinerator 1. By this means the lower temperature gases are mixed with the highly heated gas from incinerator 1 and are burned and purified by this mixing. The gases as mixed pass through the damper 21 behind the baille 26 and through the single outlet leading to the boiler I6. If the higher temperature incinerator should happen to be incinerator Il), the damper 28 is opened while the damper 21 is closed so that the gases from incinerator 1 and the intermediate incinerators of the battery are caused to travel along the front face of baille 26 to mix with the higher temperature gases at the other end before passing to discharge. This arrangement provides a selective control whereby the gases from the various incinerators of a battery are controlled in their flow in order to provide for a complete mixing and combustion thereof before being discharged. This mixing is materially assisted by the presence of the electrical burner 29 within the chamber 24' acting individually or in conjunction with the arcs 30 and 3|. Due to this heating the gases are super-heated within the chamber 24 so that not only are they purified and deodorized but they are delivered to the boiler I6 in a highly heated condition.

The material in the various incinerator chambers being in direct physical Contact with the exposed electrical igniting and heating means 35, is rapidly elevated to a high temperature whereby incineration is effected. Where conditions require it, the pump 45 for`any particular incinerator chamber is operated to discharge air under pressure into the incinerator chamber manifold 4D for ejection through the port 39 upwardly at an angle through the material within the chamber. This provides a forced draft and 'the air assists in the complete combustion of the material. Instead of using air from the conduit 44, super-heated dry steam from the steam pipe 46 for any particular incinerator chamber may be injected through the manifold and the incinerator chamber port 39 under such pressure as to agitate the chamber contents and break up the formation 0f slag occurring at the bottom of the incinerator chamber. This is a distinctive featurelover prior practice in slag breaking where mechanical means are employed to slice and break up the slag as it is formed. In the practice of this invention the superheated steam is employed as a fluid pressure medium injected directly into the mass of material whereby to break up slag and prevent its formation. Not only is this extremely effective in this matter, but under conditions of extremely high temperature within the incinerator chamber the steam may be disintegrated to its component elements of hydrogen and oxygen, both of which are of material assistance in complete combustion of the contents, as these elements are additional fuel that is injected directly into the body of the chamber contents.

The present invention also contemplates the automatic operation and control of the respective dampers for the incinerator chambers under the influence of the heat responsive means `12 associated with each chamber. The operating circuit Connections for accomplishing this are not shown for the reason that such circuits are well known and their inclusion is thought unnecessary other than by reference.

The present disclosure constitutes an operative embodiment of the principles of our invention. It is to be understood that the structural details may be varied as desired within limits not inconsistent with the scope of the invention as claimed.

We claim:

1. The method of incinerating garbage and refuse material, which consists in placing the material in a chamber, producing therein an incinerating temperature, and agitating the mate- CFI rial by injecting thereinto under pressure a noninflammable uid capable of disintegrating at high temperatures into gaseous fuel elements that promote combustion.

2. The method of incinerating garbage and refuse material which consists in heating and igniting such material in a chamber, and agitating the material With dry steam while it is being burned.

3. The method of incinerating garbage and refuse material which consists in heating and igniting such material, introducing dry steam into the material being burned, and producing a temperature therein sufiicient to disintegrate the steam into its component elements.

4. An incinerator comprising a chamber having walls of refractory material, electrical means in the walls for direct incineration of the cham- Der contents, a steam pipe in communicationI with the chamber interior, and means for supplying dry steam therethrough `to agitate the chamber contents.

5. An incinerator comprising a refractory wall chamber having a top material inlet and a bottom outlet, exposed electrical heater elements in the chamber walls, power driven sealing closure means at said inlet and outlet, and means for injecting a fluid under pressure at the chamber bottom to break slag and agitate the chamber contents.

6. A garbage and refuse incinerator comprising a vertical chamber open at its top to receive material to be burned and having a bottom open to discharge material therefrom, a top closure therefor, a bottom closure therefor and providing a bottom for the chamber when closed, a sludge drain leading from said chamber at its lowest portion, the walls of said chamber having a series of ports immediately above said drain, a manifold communicating with said ports, means for supplying a uid under pressure to said manifold, a damper controlled gas flue leading from the chamber, electrical heating and igniting elements in the chamber walls and exposed to its interior, and means for supplying operating current to said electrical elements.

7. A garbage and refuse incinerator comprising a vertical chamber having a top material delivery inlet, closure means therefor, said chamber having a bottom material discharge outlet, a gate movable across said outlet to close the same and provide a bottom for the chamber, a lining of refractory material on the walls of said chamber, electrical resistor elements caxied by the lining and exposed for physical contact with materiai when in the chamber, uid injector means in the bottom of said chamber, and means for supplying current to said resistor elements to heat and ignite material when in the chamber.

i?. T.n a system for incinerating garbage or like wastes said system having a furnace chamber, said chamber having electrode means therein to incinerate waste materials contained in said furaieoas nace chamber, said electrodes aixed in said furnace chamber and projecting substantially to the central portion of the mass in the chamber, whereby initially the maximum temperature rise of said waste material mass during the process of incineration of said materials is approximately at the central or heart portions of said mass, thereby effecting a sloping downward gradient of temperature of said mass of waste materials toward the refractory walls of said furnace, oxidizing means applied to said chamber to hasten the incineration of said garbage mass, and remote controlled means provided for the escape of smoke and gases from said chamber as set forth.

9. In a system for the incineration of garbage or like waste materials, a garbage receiving chamber, exposed electrode means positioned substantially centrally of the chamber space with respect to the refractory walls of said chamber, means for electrically energizing said electrodes to heat and cause the incandescence of garbage or waste mass deposited in said chamber, said central location of said electrodes to cause a maximum temperature in 'said chamber to occur in the area surrounding said electrodes, and minimum temperatures to occur at the refractory walls of said chamber for the purpose as set forth,

10. The system of claim 9 in combination with remote controlled means for carrying off gases emanating from said chamber, and means for superheating said gases after passing from said chamber whereby to cause a precipitation of smoke and objectionable materials intermixed with said gases that are permitted to escape from said chamber.

1l. In a system for incinerating garbage or the like wastes having a furnace chamber, said chamber having electrode means therein to incinerate waste materials contained in said chamber, said electrodes ailixed in said chamber and projecting substantially to the contral portion of the mass in the chamber, whereby initially the maximum temperature rise of said waste material mass during the process of incineration of said materials is approximately at the central or heart portions of said mass thereby effecting a sloping downward gradient of temperature of said mass of waste materials toward the refractory walls of said chamber, and oxidizing means applied to said chamber to hasten the incineration of said garbage mass aforesaid.

l2. The method of incinerating a mass of garbage and refuse material, which consists in producing initially a state of incandescence at the central interior o the mass whereby to ignite the material thereat, discontinuing the production of incandescence following ignition of the material, and supplying an oxidizing medium throughout themass to promote its complete. combustion.

MAURICE BLUiifiENTi-EAL. LOUES CASPER. 

